Alexandra is 4!

I have a bunch of posts that I have started but never finished. So I am going to try and update -- because the girls are napping and the boys are actually playing nicely and not beating each other up. Another reason is the house is somewhat picked up and cleaned. It hasn't been like that for a while -- maybe month(s)??

Alexandra celebrated her 4th birthday in March. She is very into birthdays and loves singing and dancing. She got a Build-A-Bear Cheerleader from Grandma and Grandpa Doll. (While we were visiting them in Chicago, Grandma Doll took Alexandra into a Build-A-Bear store to entertain her while the rest of us were eating lunch -- Big Mistake. Alexandra didn't want to look, she wanted to BUY a bear. So Alexandra got her bear in the mail from Grandma a few weeks later.)

She also got a "Tangled" dress (she calls everything related to the movie "Tangled" and not Rapunzel. She is carrying around the purple roses that Tim got me for my birthday 3 days earlier.)
I also decorated her birthday cake.
I think she liked her purple cake and blowing out the candles.
Talking to Grandma Redding on the phone and telling her that she is "4."
Alexandra is very talkative and friendly. She loves to talk to talk to anyone who will listen to her.
Happy 4th Birthday to our Zani!!

Dining Room is Finished!

We (mostly me) finished painting the dining room Friday night/early Saturday morning. (I went to bed at 4 am). It looks so nice. We could actually have guests over again! We need to put the trim around the bottom and one day scrape the ceiling. But at least there is no more ugly hole/drywall.
The boys want us to paint their room next. Their color choice: Orange and Black. We'll see...

Alexandra starts preschool {finally}!

Alexandra started preschool last Tuesday (Feb. 22)! We have been talking about it forever and she could hardly wait to start. She got to go for 2 days in December for a special Christmas activity-- and that was just a big tease. She couldn't wait to go back. She goes to the Clayton Valley HS (that is where Caden plays football and she will tell you that) preschool program where the Child Education students are her teachers. She goes 4 days a week for 2 hours each time. (I have been getting a lot of errands done while she is at school. It is fabulous.) She has lots of art projects that she has completed and she has learned how to trace her hand onto paper with a crayon. Her teachers love her curly hair and her charisma.

She was so excited to go, I couldn't get her to hold still for a picture.

Cheez-its in Cups

This is what happens when little girls have big brothers:

They eat their crackers out of cups...

My 2 Cub Scouts

The night before we left for Chicago; the boys had their Blue & Gold Banquet. This was Caden's very first cub scout activity and it was Miles' very last cub scout activity. So I thought I would take a few pictures of them in their shirts. (Why can't they just try and smile at the same time??)
Miles walked over the bridge and was welcomed into his new 11-year-old scout troop. He is very excited to be out of Cub Scouts!
Miles' wall decoration for the activity:
And this little girl is a Choc-A-holic. She loves anything with chocolate (minus any nuts or peanut butter.) We couldn't leave that night until she ate all her chocolate cake.

Birthday party at Sky High

Miles getting some big air!

Dodge Ball!

This year we let the boys each invite 5 friends and had a combined birthday party at Jump Sky High. I planned the party on a Tuesday afternoon after school hoping that Sky High wouldn't be busy. And it worked! The boys pretty much had the place to themselves. (There was one group of girls for another birthday party and that was pretty much it. Usually the place is PACKED.) The boys played Dodge Ball 80% of the time. 10% scarfing down 2 pizzas and cupcakes and the other 10% was jumping into the foam pit. They all had a blast and after 2 hours of jumping were very tired. And I didn't have to do much planning. It was a win-win situation for everyone.
Miles invited Joey, Lucas, James, Conner and Brock.
Caden invited Joey (Wheeler), Carson, Ryan, Logan and Jacob.
The girls jumped too and loved it. Alexandra asks when we get to go back.

Caden in his Birthday suit

Caden turned 8 on Friday! We are headed to Chicago this week to see Grandma & Grandpa Doll. Caden will be baptized while we are there. Grandma & Grandpa Redding are coming too.

Caden you are growing up so fast!! You look handsome in your new suit. (I just don't know why you have a cheese-y grin on your face.)

Save our School!!

Go to this link to see more:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/education&id=7895159

Did you see anybody that you know? We sure did!

Webelos & Arrow of Light

Wednesday night Miles received his Webelos and his Arrow of Light awards at pack night. We did it outside at the church. It was a little cold that night. (There was a "shelter-in-place" in effect for North Concord so we weren't sure if scouts was going to happen at the last minute.) Luckily, Chris Rossi was there and he kindly took A TON of pictures of Miles and me receiving his awards. Miles even gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek that night.We are so proud of Miles for getting both awards. He is ready to be done with Cub scouts and move on, he just has to bide his time for the next 2 months until he is officially an 11-year-old scout.

Our scout troop does this face painting ceremony when the boys earn their big awards. So I got to paint Miles' face. The colors and marks are all supposed to mean something. (But I really can't remember)

Way to go Miles!!

2010 Christmas Card

Snowflake Reflections Cocoa Christmas Card

Get custom photo Christmas cards online at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=8EZOWLdo0ZMjK

Halloween 2010

We survived Halloween this year. The girls and I were in Disneyland the first part of the week and then we got sick. Friday night, Caden went with the Rossi's to our ward Halloween party while Alexandra, Miles and I stayed home. (Shouldn't it be illegal to be sick on the holidays??) Tim and Avery went to the Warriors game. Miles carved his own pumpkin and I roasted the pumpkin seeds. We had nachos and french bread pizza for dinner.

Miles "Fear the Beard" Brian Wilson. (Everybody loved his beard!)
Caden the football player. (Wearing his Clayton Valley Falcons uniform.)
Alexandra is Princess Aurora aka Sleeping Beauty (her favorite princess).
Avery is Snow White.
Happy Halloween!!

Boys Trip {June 2010} Chicago & St. Louis

Tim Miles and Caden flew out to Chicago on June 14th.
They went to visit Grandma & Grandpa Doll (aka President and Sister Doll.)

They got to do some sightseeing. Legoland.
They played wiffle ball against a few missionaries in the church parking lot.
I'm sure Miles was trying hard to strike out grandma.
Soldier Field where Da Bears play.
Huge McDonald's.
Chicago Temple.
They went to Medieval Times for dinner and a show.
They also went and saw The Karate Kid and Toy Story 3 and has some deep dish pizza.
They went to Wrigley Field to a Cubs vs. A's game.
The boys got new hats (and tired to keep the bills nice and straight,)
Then they said good-bye to Grandma and Grandpa after 5 days and rode
Amtrak Saturday morning from Chicago to St. Louis.
They went to a game at Busch Stadium Saturday night. Cardinals vs. A's.
Rain delay before the game started.
View from their hotel:
It was really hot and humid in St. Louis so they swam most of the time they were there.They did visit the arch.
Inside the little tram that takes you to the top of the arch.
Caden at the top of the arch.
They had a good time.
But after being away from home for 9 days I think they were ready to come home.
I think the plan for the next "boys trip/baseball stadium experience" is to go to Minnesota. (as long as J.Paul and Tara are still living there!)